Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Sep 12: In a significant step towards strengthening healthcare infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, the government has announced an allocation of Rs 124.83 crore for key upgrades in the health sector, fulfilling an assurance made by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the recent Budget speech.
Health Minister Sakeena Itoo, in a post on X, said, “As assured by the Hon’ble CM in the Budget Speech, we have allocated Rs 124.83 Cr for key upgrades in J&K’s health sector: CT Scan at GMC Jammu, MRI machines at GMC Baramulla, GMC Kathua & GMC Rajouri, Cath Lab at GMC Doda, PET Scan at GMC Srinagar, and strengthening Telemedicine across J&K (80 units). We remain committed to stronger, accessible healthcare.”
Currently, Kashmir has only a single PET scan facility at SKIMS Soura, which caters to thousands of cancer patients from across the valley. The installation of a second PET scan at GMC Srinagar is being widely welcomed. Meanwhile, a PET scan at GMC Jammu was made functional recently.
“This is a huge relief for us. Earlier, I had to wait for over a month for my PET scan at SKIMS. Now, with GMC Srinagar getting one more machine, patients like me won’t have to face such delays,” said Ghulam Nabi, a cancer patient from Pulwama.
Similarly, GMC Jammu currently has only one CT scan machine at GMC Jammu, leading to overcrowding. With an additional CT scan sanctioned, patients and attendants believe the waiting time will be reduced.
“My father had to be shifted to a private clinic last month because of the long queue at the GMC. It was both costly and stressful. Another CT machine at GMC Jammu will definitely ease things,” shared Pooja Sharma, an attendant from Samba.
The government also plans to install MRI machines at GMC Baramulla, GMC Kathua, and GMC Rajouri, which will serve patients in North Kashmir, Pir Panjal, and Kathua. Until now, patients from these regions had to travel long distances to Srinagar or Jammu for scans.
“Travelling to Srinagar for an MRI was not only time-consuming but also expensive. With Baramulla getting its own facility, people of Kupwara, Bandipora, and Baramulla districts will save both time and money,” said Mohammad Ashraf, a resident of Sopore.
A Cath Lab at GMC Doda has also been approved, a development expected to save lives in the Chenab Valley, where patients often had to be rushed to Jammu in emergency heart cases.
“This will be life-saving for people in Doda, Kishtwar, and Bhaderwah. In critical cardiac cases, even a few minutes matter. Now, patients won’t have to travel 180 kilometres to Jammu,” said Abdul Latif, a resident of Bhaderwah whose brother suffered a heart attack last year.
It is worth mentioning that a Cath Lab at GMC Anantnag has already been made functional, and work is underway to start an MRI facility there by year-end.
The government has also decided to strengthen Telemedicine services across J&K with 80 new units, aiming to connect patients in far-flung areas with specialists at tertiary care hospitals. “This will bridge the gap between rural areas and advanced medical care. Patients in border and hilly regions will be able to consult doctors without having to travel long distances,” a senior health official said.
The series of diagnostic and treatment facility upgrades is being seen as a crucial step in reducing the dependence on private hospitals and easing the burden on existing government medical colleges.
With cancer, cardiac, and trauma cases on the rise in the Union Territory, patients and attendants believe these steps will not only save money but also save lives.
